For an old-school coffee-house experience without the long wait of a hotspot like Café Central, check out Café Sperl. Open since 1880, Café Sperl is a long-time meeting point for artists and intellectuals, where you can snack on plum and apricot cake, Salzburger cheesecake, poppy-seed pie or the café’s signature cake, which is made with chocolate, cinnamon and almond paste. Travel back in time with one of these treats alongside one of the café’s many coffee concoctions.

Pull up a Thonet chair to browse the papers or enjoy a game of billiards at chandelier-lit Cafe Sperl, a vision of faded, turn-of-the-century grandeur. Trotsky once played chess beneath the vaults and marble columns at Cafe Central, with free live piano music from 5pm. you can also treat your ears to free live piano music at 1950s-style Cafe Prückel from 7pm to 10pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and at Cafe Landtmann from 8pm to 11pm Monday, Tuesday and Sunday.

With three antique tables, Café Sperl is old-world Vienna at its best; the year 1880 appears in their logo, after all. Sperl’s sumptuous art nouveau interior—wood paneling, hanging lamps, plaster figures on the ceiling—is said to be the city’s only coffeehouse space that has never been modernized. Since it’s in the southwest Mariahilf district, off the path usually beaten by travelers, you’re not likely to encounter many tourists here.

A delicious bubble of faded grandeur, Sperl is as much loved for its bohemian warmth and witty waiters today as it was when it opened its doors in 1880. The great Secessionist artists, operetta-writing composer Franz Lehár and Sigmund Freud all once lounged in its worn-velvet booths. Brass chandeliers cast a soft glow on customers enjoying a chinwag over coffee and milk-chocolate Sperl Torte.

Coffee in Vienna is designed to be savored and enjoyed, and one of the most splendid places in Vienna to do just that is at the Sperl. Featured in Hollywood films A Dangerous Method and Before Sunrise, the venerable café—commandeered way back when as the café for artists—is more than just a fantastically pretty face. The Old Vienna ambience is not merely preserved here, but vibrantly alive.

Whilst far from offering the best alcohol collection in Vienna - our waitress even advised us against trying either of their two wines - this historic establishment best sums up Vienna's cafe culture more than any of the other 550 in the city. Dating back to 1880, it became the regular hangout for artists, writers, high ranking officers and even royalty until the Nazis came to power in 1942; their distrust of Cafe Sperl's regular customers saw them stamp out any such gatherings. Today the cafe is perhaps most famous for the "telephone scene" in the Before Sunrise movie and it's not unusual to see tourists ignoring the "no phones" policy to take photos recreating the scene.

Café Sperl, one of Vienna’s most iconic coffee houses, is not only a place to relax with a newspaper or play a game of pool, immersed in the ancient elegant and intellectual atmosphere that distinguishes a number of Viennese cafes. It is also the perfect place for a great dinner, one that should be concluded with a slice of Sacher. The Sacher at Café Sperl earns a well-deserved place in this (admittedly highly personal) top three list, with a respectable bronze medal: it’s the richest Sacher out of all of them, as the apricot jam literally overflows and bubbles up as it escapes from its chocolatey prison.

Time seems to stand still in these opulent, nicotine-stained rooms, which embody the Austrian word “gemütlich”, meaning warmth, comfort and familiarity. For the truest taste of this custom try Café Sperl, with its gold and wood-panelled walls, mahogany coat stands, high ceilings, red booths and bowed windows draped with gold velvet. Strong, bitter coffee is served on silver platters, while trays of traditional sweet treats, which seem to be appropriate at any time of day here, lie in wait – including plum cake, ring cake, cheesecake and crumbly apple strudel dusted with icing sugar.

Even if Sperl has moved on from being a well kept secret, the popular neighbourhood cafe in Mariahilf is hard to beat on atmosphere: From cosy window niches, wood panels and velvet benches to an old piano and a billard table it ticks all the boxes. Every Sunday afternoon between 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm, Herr Kriener entertains guests with operetta tunes, in honour of late operetta composer and coffeehouse regular Emmerich Kalman. This is also a good place for diving into international newspapers.

Sperl Torte is a unique and delicious cake that you must try at this Viennese coffeehouse. It was first made as an offering for Austrian emperor Franz Josef I, who had been hunting with King Maximilian of Mexico near today’s town of Schruns in 1806—just two years before his death from smallpox which resulted from infection after one too many saber scratches during those traditional afternoon exercises!. The richly layered Sachertorte has Apricot Jam overflowing onto fresh chocolate layers.

Even if you’ve done it before, classic cafes, such as Landtmann and Sperl, once frequented by the who’s-who of 19th-century Viennese society remain a must. Sigmund Freud and the founders of the Vienna Secession movement like Gustav Klimt were among the regulars sipping melanges. If third-wave coffee is more of your thing, Kovac recommends the centrally located Caffe Couture, housed in the atmospheric Ferstel Passage, or Balthasar, close to the Karmelitermarkt; both roast their own beans.

Café Sperl stands as a portal to old Vienna, nestled between Mariahilfer Strasse and Naschmarkt, and has been a beacon of Viennese coffee culture since 1880. With its largely unchanged furnishings from the time of its opening, this café offers an authentic glimpse into the past. You can indulge in a cozy cup of coffee accompanied by the original Sperl Torte or enjoy a game at one of the billiard tables, making Café Sperl an ideal spot for a reflective pause in the Austrian capital.

Since its opening in 1880, the café has maintained a tranquil atmosphere through the use of warm lighting and gentle pads as an accompaniment to your freshly brewed cup of coffee. Prior to World War I, it attracted an interesting range of characters, from authors and actors to military officials from the nearby Imperial and Royal (K.u.K) military academy. Although there were divergent political and social differences between the regulars, they continued to coexist peacefully.

Café Sperl is my personal favorite cafe in Vienna, not just for its plush atmosphere and strong espresso, but for its unrivaled apple strudel, my favorite Austrian dish. A member of the Austrian Register of Historic Places, Sperl boasts many of its original fixtures and has hosted all manner of luminaries, thinkers and politicians over the years, including the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, not long before his fateful assassination and the outbreak of the World War I.

Café Sperl dates from 1880, and is still furnished identically to the day it opened — from the coat tree to the chairs. Café Hawelka has a dark, "brooding Trotsky" atmosphere, paintings by struggling artists who couldn't pay for coffee, smokey velvet couches, and a phone that rings for regulars. When Mrs. Hawelka died a couple of weeks after Pope John Paul II, locals suspected the pontiff wanted her much-loved Buchteln (marmalade-filled doughnuts) in heaven.

Café Sperl is maybe the most authentic turn-of-the-century Viennese coffee house; it lives up to all the clichés of this traditional Viennese institution. With its wooden parquet floors, bentwood Thonet chairs, marble tables, chandeliers, carom billiards tables, and (naturally) newspapers, this is the quintessential Fin de scècle café. You might even see Robert Menasse, the great Austrian writer and a regular at this place, sitting at one of the tables.

Just a couple of minutes walk from the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Wien is a coffee house that once welcomed guests of great importance from archdukes and generals to actors and artists. Fuel up for a day of exploring Vienna’s cultural sites with a tasty cup of Wiener melange, or visit on a Sunday from 3:30pm for an afternoon of elegant piano performances while you enjoy their menu. Cafe Sperl even has billiard tables if you’re up for a game.

Sperl (Gumpendorfer Strasse 11, 1060 Vienna, 6th district) free wifi, open 7am-11pm, Sundays 11am till 8pm – built in 1880, another traditional Viennese Kaffeehaus, also featured in Before Sunrise, in the scene when Jesse and Celine pretend to be calling their friends at home and telling them about how much they like each other. The food is not as great as at the other cafés, but the desserts are good. Specialty of the house: Sperl Torte.

This caf é dating back to 1880 is one of the most iconic representations of Viennese coffee-house culture. Its vast, art nouveau-themed interiors offer an unhurried, old-world charm where one can have coffee, read a newspaper, play pool, or even have dinner. This can be topped off with their delectable version of Sachertorte – the apricot jam will literally overflow from the decadent layers of chocolate.

Lovers of the 1995 romantic film Before Sunrise will recognize the high ceilings and intimate booths of this noble coffee house. There are no less than 34 types of coffee to choose from, as well as over ten daily newspapers provided – basically, you could be here all day!. Once you try their specialty, the almond-and-chocolate-cream Sperl Torte, you’ll be totally convinced to never leave.

No other European city does coffee-house culture quite as well as Vienna. Although the number of opulent cafes in the city seems limitless–Café Central and Café Landtmann are among the city’s most famous and visually impressive—Café Sperl is the cream of the crop. Unlike some of the other top picks, it’s situated in the 6th district, comfortably outside of the busy tourist zone.

Almost opposite Cafe Sperl (below) the phil is a self-confident alternative antithesis to traditional Viennese cafes. Books, music, furniture and terrible puns on the menu (‘phil free to come back’; ‘bilbio-phil’; ‘audio-phil’; ‘retro-phil’; ‘phil-good’ and so on) earn plaudits in Vienna cafe reviews. The web-site (‘phil.info, as in viel’) is a conglomeration of cultural cool.

Where to eat Wiener Schnitzel and Erdäpfelsalat: Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper, Plachutta Wollzeile, Wiener Wiazhaus, Kaffee Alt Wien, Gasthaus Rebhuhn, Figlmuller at Wollzeile, Lugeck, Meissl & Schadn Vienna, Schnitzelwirt, Gasthaus Pöschl, Salm Brau, Heindls Schmarren & Palatschinkenkuchl, Cafe Sacher, Cafe Central, Cafe Landtmann, Cafe Frauenhuber, Cafe Sperl, Cafe Museum

Less touristy than the cafés listed above, Café Sperl is our absolute favorite coffee house in Vienna. Unlike many of the other traditional coffee houses, women work here and the atmosphere is less stiff, though still elegant. Sperl’s spacious interior is decorated with large rounded windows, fine upholstery, dark wood accents, and marble tables.

Café Sperl might just be the most typical coffeehouse in Vienna – plus one of the few old-school ones that is not filled with smoke or run-down. Charm, tradition and history is a great priority here. This coffeehouse is a great place to get away from your daily routine: simply sit down, drink your coffee, read the newspaper and let time fly by.

Cafe Sperl is one of the only coffee houses in Vienna that still makes their own cakes and pastries. We voted their Sperl cake, which uses chocolate and almond flour (although it doesn’t taste like almonds), the best cake in Vienna. Their apple strudel was quite good as well (although my favorite was still at Griechenbeisl.)

Nowadays protected as a historic monument, it opened its doors in 1880 and offers everything you’d expect from a traditional Viennese coffee house. At least as far as the ambience is concerned: stucco ceiling yellowed with smoke, velvet-covered benches, a large selection of daily newspapers or magazines and pool tables.

Running at a close second is Cafe Sperl near Naschmarkt which is a little bigger and a little further out of the centre of town, meaning it is more of a local spot and a great place to avoid crowds. This is located in the artists’ district and is a wonderful area to walk around on any day of the week.

Das Café Sperl ist ein echter Wiener Klassiker und eine Institution, wenn es um traditionelle Wiener Kaffeehauskultur geht. Hier kannst du in historischem Ambiente sitzen, eine Melange trinken und die berühmten Wiener Mehlspeisen probieren. Ideal, um sich nach einem langen Vorlesungstag zu entspannen.

Cafe Sperl is a little down at the heel, which I thought adds to its charm, but may not be for everyone. Most of my travel-loving readers will be familiar with the iconic film, Before Sunrise. (If you haven’t seen it, it’s a must-rent, both for the sweet story line and the classic scenes of Vienna).

The city is full of great cafes, with some great ones including Cafe Central where you can enjoy your cappuccino accompanied by classical music, Cafe Sperl (my favourite) a classy venue with a history, or another favourite of mine Kleines Café, made famous in the film “Before Sunrise”.

While this one was highly contested in my group, I personally loved the apple strudel (or as the Austrians say: apfelstrudel) at Café Sperl. The apples were slightly acidic and thinly sliced, the syrup wasn’t sweet/thick and the pastry was thin and crisp. Just the way I like it…

Now we move indoors and witness Céline and Jesse acting out telephone conversations in Café Sperl on Gumpendorfer Straße. (One of Vienna’s oldest cafés). This popular traditional coffee house opened in the late-19th century and also appeared in Seasons 1 and 2 of Vienna Blood.

Cafe Sperl, located near Naschmarkt, is a ways outside of the city center, but well-worth the visit. This local spot, which has been in business since 1880, is void of crowds and other tourists, giving it an extra calm atmosphere. There is live music on Sunday afternoons and

There are many coffee houses in Vienna to choose from and I so happened to go past this Café Sperl on my way to Naschmarkt. With it's old fashioned interiors, classic service and both tourists and locals alike enjoying a coffee it was the perfect place for a caffeine hit.

This historical Vienna cafe was opened in 1880 and is known best for its coffee. The apartments above the cafe were home to artists, musicians, architects, actors, and singers. They and their friends were the most frequent visitors to Cafe Sperl in the early years.

This coffee house in Vienna exudes charm and offers its visitors a cozy atmosphere. Guests often like to spend hours reading newspapers amid velvet benches, an old piano, and a billiard table. You’ll find a variety of international newspapers at Cafe Sperl.

Café Sperl – While not exactly hidden, Café Sperl is a bit less touristy than the big-name cafés. It has that classic imperial coffeehouse style with billiard tables and vintage furnishings. It’s a great spot to soak in history and enjoy a leisurely coffee.

Café Central - one of the most famous cafés located in the Neo-Renaissance Palais Ferstel and a meeting place for historical figures (Stefan Zweig, Sigmund Freud, Adolf Loos and Leon Trotsky), we recommend booking in advance on the website cafecentral.wien

Sperl: 6, Gumpendorfer Strasse 11; U-Bahn Karlsplatz/Babenbergerstrasse. Slightly off the beaten track, between the Theater an der Wien and the Museum Quarter, this is one of the classics of the Coffee House scene, with billiard tables.

Among the cafés which offer regular music performances are the Café Schwarzenberg (Sundays 11am–1pm), Café Ritter (Thursdays 3pm–6pm), Café Sperl (Sundays from 3.30pm) and Konzert-Café Weimar (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 4pm–8pm).

Walk to Karlskirche and then through the Naschmarkt to Cafe Sperl for coffee and strudel. Take the U4 subway to Heiligenstadt and then get on the 38a bus to Kahlenberg. Walk towards the church for the amazing view of all of Vienna.

Halfway between Mariahilfer Strasse and Vienna's famous Naschmarkt, we go on a journey through time in Café Sperl. It has been synonymous for Viennese coffee house culture since 1880. At Café Sperl, time seems to have stood still.

The best cafes in Vienna are Sacher, Demel Cafe, Sperl, Hawelka and Café Imperial in the hotel of the same name. Admittedly, the prices are steep: you'll have to pay at least 15 EUR for a piece of cake and a cup of coffee.

Café Sperl: A historic café with original 19th-century decor, wooden billiard tables, and an old-world charm that transports you back in time. A quiet haven for reading, writing, or people-watching.

It included the famous Café Central, once frequented by historical figures like Stalin and Trotsky, and Café Sperl, which is said to have been a favourite of a certain Austrian-born painter…

You might say Café Sperl makes the best Sachertorte in Vienna beyond the Innere Stadt. Although, only just!. The café is crazy close to the Museumsquartier and St. Charles’s Church.

A leisurely afternoon spent in the cozy warmth of a café, perhaps Café Sperl or Café Schwarzenberg offers a nostalgic journey back to the city’s intellectual heyday.

Newspapers, billiard tables, and a 19th-century interior: Café Sperl near Naschmarkt transports you to the world of old Vienna. Enjoy live piano music on Sundays!